Tempers flare as Cicero residents turn out at meeting on flooding
CICERO, Ill. (CBS) -- The fierce flooding in Cicero earlier this month led to a packed house of angry homeowners in the western suburb Tuesday night.
As CBS 2's Marybel González reported, emotions ran high at the meeting at Jedlicka Performing Arts Center at Morton College, 3801 S. Central Ave., on the town's flooding report.
Police officers even guarded the entrances as residents demanded answers about the floods - and the help they so desperately need.
The venue was at capacity with residents pleading for help, after their homes were damaged during the series of storms that hit the area.
Those who could not get in shouted from the outside – hoping to be heard.
"This is by far the worst I've ever seen in my life," said Cicero resident Ana Gonzalez. "I had over four and a half feet of water in my basement."
Gonzalez is just one of the hundreds who showed up to the meeting, where residents were told the town has applied for federal resources to help them. But ultimately, those still need to be approved by the President of the United States.
"It was so much. It's just so bad. You want to cut all the walls out," Gonzalez said. "There's things that had to be done as quickly as possible. So, you know, I'm hoping that they will help."
The Town of Cicero says it has already done some sewer cleanups and installed catch basins. They have also rodded out more than 100 homes.
But residents say they want more than that. They want permanent solutions to a recurring problem.
"We just want answers, and we want to know what the plan for the Town of Cicero to prevent flooding in the future," said Cicero resident Ankur Singh.
"Sometimes it can be a hit or miss. But this time, it was definitely devastating," added Gonzalez. "There's just so much."
The Town of Cicero is working with the American Red Cross to help residents. On Saturday at the Cicero Community Bank, they will be giving away cleaning kits and offering guidance on where people can get help.
